Bloomberg: U.S. Should Make All New Immigrants Live in Detroit

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks during a panel discussion at the World Bank in Washington April 19.
(AP)

Detroit needs residents. Immigrants want to live in America.

Michael Bloomberg says he's got a simple solution for both needs -- send all new immigrants to Detroit.

In a novel approach to immigration reform, the New York City mayor said Sunday that if he could have his way, he'd use the immigrant workforce to jump-start the Motor City's economy by requiring Detroit residency.

"The population has left. You've got to do something about that," Bloomberg said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "And if I were the federal government, assuming you could wave a magic wand and pull everybody together, you pass a law letting immigrants come in as long as they agreed to go to Detroit and live there for five or 10 years. Start businesses, take jobs, whatever.

"You would populate Detroit overnight because half the world wants to come here," he said.

Bloomberg has long advocated for changes in immigration policy. He said Sunday that America's "superpower" status depends on its ability to continue letting immigrants in.